Sexual Coercion and Well-Being in Young Adulthood

Abstract

This study examined the associations between sexual coercion and well-being (anger, coping, depressed mood, self-esteem, social anxiety, and social isolation) based on gender and college enrollment. Participants were 872 women and 527 men, ages 19 through 22 years. Women were more likely than men to report having experienced sexual coercion. In addition, noncollege women were more likely than college women to report having experienced rape and sexual abuse. Participants who reported experiencing sexual coercion had poorer social and psychological adjustment. The effect of coercion on well-being did not differ for college and noncollege young adults. Type of sexual coercion (no coercion, pressure, and violent coercion) related to adjustment differentially for women and men. Pressured women had lower well-being scores than either women who were not coerced or violently coerced. In contrast, violently coerced men had lower scores for well-being than either pressured men or men who were not coerced.